The present invention relates in general to outdoor grills for outdoor cooking over charcoal fires or the like, and more particularly to outdoor cooking grills having an upwardly and forwardly opening fire box and a vertically adjustable grating member or food supporting rack supported by the fire box wall, wherein the fire box and grating are supported for swivel action about a vertical axis so that the unit can be turned in various directions relative to the wind and wherein the fire box portion is tiltable relative to the pedestal for dumping the ash residue and the like.
Heretofore, a number of different types of outdoor cooking grills for cooking over fires of charcoal or similar fuel have been available, wherein the portion of the outdoor cooking grill which contains the charcoal fire assumes many different shapes, of which rectangular fire boxes and upwardly opening brazier type bowls are typical. A grating formed of metal rods secured together in an open work pattern or matrix to form a grating type platform above the fire bed may be supported in a number of ways for vertical adjustment to support the food at various levels above the coals or fire. However, those outdoor cooking grills formed with a generally rectangular fire box have most frequently been supported on a stationary pedestal fixed in the ground wherein the fire box is fixed to the pedestal in a manner which prevents its movement about the vertical axis of the pedestal from a predetermined fixed position, by virtue of the connection made between the fire box portion and the pedestal, and in which the fire box is not capable of any movement about a horizontal axis for discharge of the ashes from the fire box. Furthermore, those prior outdoor cooking stoves of which I am aware having vertically adjustable grating members associated with rectangular fire boxes which have vertical slots with notch excursions for receiving outwardly projecting handle portions of the grating member to accommodate vertical adjustment of the grating have either been constructed with all the slots opening through the top edges of the fire box side walls so that the grating is thus completely removable from the fire box, thus encouraging vandalism in public park installations and the like, or all of the slots have been closed at the top by heavy bars which capture the grating member permanently in the fire box and prevent any removal or significant tilting movement of the grating.
It will be appreciated that ashes from the burned fuel, such as wood ashes or charcoal ashes, contain corrosive agents which eventually break down and contribute to rapid deterioration of the metal forming the fire box, so that if the bottom of the fire boxe is normally maintained in a horizontal position and is not completely freed of the ashes left from previous fires, rapid corrosive break down of the unit occurs. Furthermore, it is desirable to be able to rotate the fire box in various directions depending upon the direction of the wind, so that the open front of the fire box is directed downwind, and it is desirable to be able to rotate the grating member or grill top structure upwardly about a horizontal pivot axis while part of the grating member is still captured in the fire box to facilitate access to the fire chamber portion for cleaning purposes.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a novel outdoor cooking stove for charcoal cooking and the like, having an upwardly and forwardly opening generally rectangular fire box of metal provided with vertically elongated slots with notch excursions for receiving outwardly extending integral handle portions of the grating member and supporting the grating at various elevations, wherein one of the slots at each side of the unit is closed at the top while the other slot at each side is open, permitting the grill to be swung upwardly through a substantial angle about a horizontal axis through one leg of the handle formations, and wherein the fire box is supported for swivel movement about a vertical axis through a supporting pedestal therefor and is supported for tilting movement through an approximately 45.degree. angle allowing the bottom of the fire box to remain during nonuse at a tilted position so that rain and residue from burned materials can run freely from the bottom of the fire box when the unit is not in use.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel outdoor cooking grill for charcoal cooking and the like, having a forwardly and upwardly opening generally rectangular fire box provided with a vertically adjustable grating member or grill top tiltable about a horizontal axis adjacent one leg of handles for the grating member, and wherein the fire box is capable of swiveling movement about a horizontal axis and tilting movement about a vertical axis to facilitate cleaning and disposition of the surfaces to allow drainage of water and minimize retention of corrosive residue during nonuse of the grill.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.